Memoirs of an Indecent Gryffindor
by skipmunks
Summary: HP and the PoA, through the perspective of discombobulated 3rd year nobody, Sarah Poe. Her best friends an intellectual. Her favorite Teacher loathes her. Are her and her best friend falling?FWxOC give it a chapter, see if you're captivated. Reviews love
1. Chapter 1

A word of advice to possible hogwarts students: Find your friend's compartment before the Hogwarts Express is in motion. It was my 3rd year here and here I was, clumsily tripping down the narrow hall, casting a hopeful glance into each passing compartment as the train rattled on. Finally, after a near catastrophe with the witch pushing the trolley, I saw Jill slumped up against a window in the adjacent compartment. I dove, and made it through, shutting the door loudly behind me.

"Jesus christmas." I murmered, leaning up against the sliding door for a few moments before taking my seat across from Jillian.

"Hey! I thought I'd lost you." Jill said, referring to their seperation at platform 9 and 3/4.

"Ha! You're not that lucky." I replied.

Jill smiled and turned back to stare out the window. I did the same. The lull of the train rumbling over the tracks had us both nodding off.

A first year, already in her robes, came scuttling nervousely by our compartment. I smiled, and she responded with a clearly nervous, stretching of the lips.

I was tickled. I remembered my first year. I leaned my head against the cool window and sank back into the memory.

_Already in her robes, an 11 year old Sarah Poe scurried into a compartment and sat down near the window. The train had just started to move. She watched her mother and father waving proudly as they slowly shrank into the distance._

_"I cant do this." she thought to herself. She had passed 2 roguish looking redheaded third years on her way in, telling their younger brother that in the Sorting Ceremony, you had to fight a troll._

_"Hi." said a girl across from her. _

_Sarah jumped. She had not seen the girl, she had been too busy planning ambush tactics for the troll. The girl was a first year too, judging by the plain black tie with the Hogwarts crest on it. She had a light dusting of freckles over the bridge of her nose, with bright blue intellegent eyes. Her straight shiny brown hair fell past her shoulders and was held back on one side by a sparkly yellow hair clip. She held _Hogwarts, A History _in her lap._

_"Hi." Sarah replied._

_"I'm Jillian Thimbleword. You can call me Jill if you want. You're a first year too?"_

_"Yeah. I'm Sarah Poe. Erm..Or Sally."_

_"Nice to meet you."_

_Sarah nodded in response. Jillian smiled at her. She returned the favor._

_And they had been besties ever since._

"Sar!" said Jill, poking me with her shoe from across the compartment.

"Yeah Im awake. What the fuss?" I stammered, bolting upright and stretching.

"I bought you a chocolate frog." she replied, tossing me the pentagonal box.

"Thanks!" I said, attempting to catch the box, which instead bounced off my chest and onto the floor. I hastily picked it up.

Jill giggled at my clumsiness. "Smooth move. I can really see why you're the best chaser on your team."

I grinned. Jill, as position of best frend, had the right to poke fun at me. She was a Ravenclaw, and lived up to every quality the Sorting Hat sang about. Brilliant at every subject, clever and yet not dorky or fussy in any way.

Dean Thomas came into our compartment and sat next to Jill.

He fancied her. I could tell.

"Hey Jill. How was your summer?"

"Good! I spent it at the beach." she giggled.

"Really? How was it?" Dean gave me a look out of the corner of his eye.

Being the graceful friend I am, I took the hint and picked that oppurtune moment to change into my robes.

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By the time we entered the Great Hall, dusk was upon us.

I looked up at the bewitched ceiling, and at all the floating candles.

It was good to be home.

I gave Jill's hand a squeeze as she flitted over to the Ravenclaw table. I turned to examine the table full of my fellow Gryffindors.

_Where are the little...aha!_

I walked over to my targets: two tall, redheaded 5th years. Using the element of obnoxious suprise, I stuck my head right into their conversation and threw an arm around each of their shoulders.

"Hey guys! Did you miss me?"

Fred and George laughed and scooched over so I could squeeze between them.

"Like hell we missed you." said Fred sarcastically.

"Did you have a productive summer?" asked George devilishly.

"On the contrary..." I pulled out 2 small firecrackers from my robes. Each one was about the size of your thumb, wrapped in shiny blue foil.

The twins looked skeptical.

"I call them Snappers." I explained, handing one to each of the boys, who pocketed them. "All the noise of some of your biggest rockets compressed into a handy travel-sized bit of fun."

Fred grinned. "Well Sally, you're learning."

"Impressive." nodded George.

I grinned. Other than my mother and occasionally Jill, Fred was the only one who exercised the nickname Sally. He knew it. He thought as my best friend it was a certain privelage, and would consider it a threat to his authority if someone else used that title to adress me.

Just as Jill embodies all that I am not, Fred and George embody all that I am. Just as clever and mischevious, these two were my Gryffindor family.

"What about you boys? Did you do it? Did you get the forms-"

"Yeah! Mums onto us of course." mumbled George.

They were referring to the Weasley Wizard Wheezes. With a new mind to help concoct all sorts of loud, bangy, chaotic, disruptive things, the twins thought they should give their buisness another go.

"We have 5 orders so far." grinned Fred. "Mum would flip her lid if she knew you were in on it."

I smirked. I had stayed at the Burrow this past summer for a few days. Mrs. Weasley, ever doting, fell in love with me just as she had Ron's guests: Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. I was a clever girl, very clever, and I knew how to cover my tracks. I was also very good at all my classes and got very many O's on my OWLs.

Mrs. Weasley was always hinting at Fred and George that they could pick up a few study habits from me.

(I hadnt the heart to point out I learned my study habits from Jillian Thumbleword. )

"Yeah you little..." George put me in a headlock and gave me a nuggie.

"Aye! Gerroff!" my muffled voice came from under his arm.

I pulled myself out and quickly ruffled his hair as best I could.

I adjusted my gold headband over my untidy dirty blonde plaits, and turned as the Sorting Ceremony began.

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It felt good to be back. I was early to Potions, not only because Its the first day back but because it was my favorite subject, taught by my favorite teacher.

I walked in to the dingy classroom and plopped my bag at the table in the front of the classroom, near Professor Snape's desk. He eyed me warily.

"Hey Professor! How was your summer holiday?" I chirped. He hated it when I chirped.

"Mediocre." He stated in that low, always annoyed sounding voice.

I smiled and heaved my potions book onto the table.

"Planning on wasting my time as an insufferable know it all again, this year, Poe?"

I glared at him with one eye, a challenging smirk on my face.

"Same as always, Snapey-Wapey."

He glared at me with all the hatred in his soul.

This wasn't new, however. Since 3rd quarter of my first year this exchange of name calling had become quite routine. He'd call me Poe. I'd call him Snapey-Wapey.

He wouldn't ever take away house points for this. It was a mutual understanding between us.

I jumped up and walked over to Snape's desk. I pulled a daisy from my robes and put it on his desk.

"Here's to one more year as my favorite teacher."

He glared up at me, sweeping the daisy away casually with a pale hand.

"And one more year of headaches from the biggest nuisance." He said back.

With a smirk, I said "Let the torment begin."

His eyes glinted with the grin that wouldn't dare cross his face.

I shrugged and walked back to my table as the rest of the students came trickling in.

As I sat down and opened my book to the page number written on the blackboard, I saw out of the corner of my eye Snape picking up the discarded daisy and putting it gingerly in his desk drawer.

I smiled.

You see, I have Snape figured out. And he's not a bad man, you just have to understand him. For him to like you is for him to hate you. And once you accept that, your friendship is limitless.

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The first day of classes, although exciting, left me desperately tired as I climbed through the portrait hole into the common room that evening.

Fred and George motioned me to come sit in the corner with them. It looked like they had quite a handful of order forms in their hands.

With a tired sigh, I walked over and flopped down next to Fred in a squishy armchair.

"Rough day back, my little minion?" asked George, flipping through the papers.

"Ungh. Homework already." I kicked at my bag full of the homework I had just spent 2 hours completing in the Library with Jill.

"Thats nothing compared to the noble work saddled upon us 5th years!" Said Fred, motioning to their almost bare peices of parchment.

Fred had drawn and animated a little sketch of what looked like flying socks in the upperhand corner of his. They fluttered up and down the right margin, bumping into eachother as they fluttered.

"You poor martyrs." I said sarcastically, closing my eyes and resting my head on the worn robed shoulder of Fred Weasley.

"Dont you go to sleep now, we know how you drool." joked Fred. He had a slight look of disappointment in his eyes as I then lifted my head.

"Have you had Care of Magical Creatures?" I asked. "Hows Hagrid?"

"He's a nutter." said Fred, indicating several bandaged fingers. "Blast ended screwts."

I groaned a little. I had that class tomorrow.

"Well, I need my beauty rest." I said, struggling slightly to get out of the nest I had made in the crook of Fred's knees. I picked up my bag.

"Yeah you do." Said George.

I swatted him on the back of the head.

"Night." I said as I made my way into the dormitories.

"Night."

"Night."

The stairs felt like they went on for eternity. I opened the door to the room that I shared with Lucy Gringway, Lulu Satchelbucket, Hermione Granger and Lavender Brown.

Hermione was reading on her bed by the light of her wand.

"Hey Hermione! Hows it?" I asked, kicking off the converse sneakers that I rebelliously wore with my uniform and pulling off my knee socks.

"Great! I'm taking this really great class this year, Ancient Runes, and the rubric covers..."

She went on talking about her class as I changed discreetly into my pajamas. Jillian and Hermione were similar in their brightness. However, Hermione's bossy and slightly motherly personality just didnt click with mine quite like Jill's bossiness. Dont ask why.

"...And that by midyear we wont even be using the translator!" she finished with gusto.

"You're kidding!" I said, yawning. I opened my drawer and pulled out a silver tin can.

"You aren't still using those, are you? Arent they a bit juvenile?" asked Hermione, grinning.

"I prefer simpler forms of communication." I grinned, and walked over to the window.

The length from the Gryffindor tower to the Ravenclaw tower was quite a stretch, but With the Wizarding world, the old-school Muggle method of tin-can communication was made wireless.

I sat on the window, dangling my feet through the baulstrade that kept us from falling out. I drew the curtains behind me.

I looked to my right. Faraway in the distance, I saw the tiny blue speck of Jill, dangling from her window.

"Hey Jill." I spoke into the can.

"Hey!" She responded. "First day damage status?"

"Moderate. Snapey- Wapey is still cranky. Professor Binns still drawling. And you?"

"Similar." She replied. "Dean asked me out today."

I nearly dropped my tin can.

"No way!" I feigned amazement. I knew he would sooner or later. "What did you say?"

"I said I needed a day to think about it." I could hear the grin in her voice.

"Haha you're such a diva." I teased.

"What are you're thoughts?" She asked.

"Dean is great! Friendly. Looks more grown up this year."

"yeah!" She replied dreamily.

There was a short silence.

"Oh, I had Defense Against the Dark Arks today."

"Really? Hows the new professor?" I asked.

"Unconventional. You'll love him." She said. "Right up you're alley."

I didnt quite know what she meant by that. So far all that's up my alley is Professor Snape, and he hates me.

"I can't wait!" I said into the tin can.

I heard a yawn come from the other end.

"I think I need to get some sleep. I'm pooped." she said.

"Yeah, me too. Talk to you in the morning." I said.

"Goodnight!"

"night".

I pulled my legs back through the baulstrade and swung around into the dorm. I pulled down my bed clothes and hopped in, drawing my curtains around me. It was a chilly night.

Hermione courteously dimmed her reading lamp.

"Night Hermione."

"Mhm." She mumbled, deeply involved in her Ancient Runes.

My mind began to go into the state of incontrollable thinking that happens right before you go to sleep.

Faces of Snape, Dumbledore, Jill and the Great Hall whizzed in and out of my mind.

There was one face however, that kept sticking in my mind.

I smiled and pretended I was back with my head on Fred Weasley's shoulder as I fell into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Struggling to keep my bag on my shoulder and 3 books from falling from the arm that wasnt trying to straighten my plaits, I jogged haphazardly to Defense Against the Dark Arts, avoiding tardiness by mere seconds.

I let out a contented sigh of acheivement as I sat down next to Lulu Satchelbucket.

So much for my first day earliness.

I pulled my book closer to me and pulled out a notebook and a quill.

"Good Morning everyone. It's nice to see you all made it." Said the new teacher, smiling in a very small yet kind and tired way. "My name is Professor Lupin, and I hope that in due time I will manage to teach you all something useful."

He motioned to a tank on his desk, filled with murky water.

"Our first lesson involves the Grindylow. Can anyone tell me what they know about this creature?"

Of course, Hermione's hand shot up in the air.

I raised mine timidly.

He called on me. I gave a satisfied smile in the direction of Hermione.

"Grindylows...erm... Live in the water amoung sea plants, they look kind of like octopi and they aren't very nice?" I posed it almost as a question, as most people do when giving an answer they arent quite sure of.

"As a matter of fact, Miss..."

"Poe."

" Miss Poe, That pretty much hits the nail on the head. No, Grindylows aren't very nice at all. In fact, they have been known to cause a manner of diving accidents, using their strong suckers to latch themselves onto their target."

And with that, he leaned over and tapped the glass. Immediately a reddish grey sucker plastered itself against the glass with a plunking sound, that made me giggle rather uncontrollably.

Once class was over, I made my way over to Lupin. I had heard that he had performed some serious magic when the Hogwarts Express was halted by the dementors.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was my favorite class by far, I found it the most intriguing. I was considering an Auror as a serious career.

"Hello Professor." I said.

"Hello Miss Poe."

I cringed. "Please just call me Sarah."

"Alright Sarah, what can I do for you?"

"I was actually wondering If you offer any... tutoring?"

"Tutoring? By the looks of your past grades, I dont see how tutoring is necessary."

"I heard what you did on the Hogwarts Express, Professor. The Patronus Charm?" I paused, collecting my words. "I've tried it before, and all I can manage is whisps of smoke."

He eyed me up and down, as if wondering if this strange request had some hidden motive.

"It takes lots of hard work and practice to make a full bodied Patronus." He said finally. "But I dont see why you would need to know this anyway."

"Defense Against the Dark Arts, It fascinates me." I said, sitting on a desk behind me. "And thats not a load of rubbish. I know I dont look like a very academic witch, but...There are things...I think would be useful...What with the Dementors occupying the school and all, and Sirius Black on the loose..." I took a deep breath in. "I just dont like being unprepared!"

My voice came out a little higher than I had intended. I wasn't about to lie. Hogwarts doesn't feel as safe as it did first year. What with the Basilisk of last year and the loosed murderer this. I was scared.

"Alright." He said, after a long pause. "When can you come in?"

"Well...I have study hall this period and tomorrow its 6th period. And then anytime after school hours, I suppose." I said.

"I see. Well, Sarah, Grab you're wand and come this way."

He walked around to the left side of the classroom. With a flick of his wand, the desks were pushed against a wall.

"Now the first trick, and the reason perhaps why youre patronus is only whisps of smoke, Is you need a happy memory."

I nodded.

"Very happy." He continued. "You see, the Dementors, as I'm sure you're well aware, feed off happiness, and use their victim's own fears as a weapon against them. They take you're worst memories, and try to make you relive them."

I nodded again. I knew this already.

"Alright, lets see what you've got."

I closed my eyes and thought desperately for a happy memory...At last I settled on a nice one of this past summer, on vacation with Jill near the shore.

I smiled as I remembered the giant sandcastles we'd built. The books we'd read. Planning out our futures down to the identical houses we'd have as old witches.

"Expecto Patronum!" I said loudly, pointing my wand upwards. Smoke shot out of the end of my wand, silvery and shimmering. It was a larger cloud than I've ever created, but still nothing.

"What were you thinking of?" Asked Professor Lupin.

"Being on vacation with my friend Jillian."

"Jillian Thimbleword?"

"Yeah."

"Bright girl, very bright." he said, scratching his chin. "Okay, now with this try, I think you need to think of a memory thats even happier. One where you couldn't stop smiling."

I tried again. At last I settled on the time that Fred, George and I had blown up the toilets. They has sent a toilet seat home to their mother. I grinned and almost giggled.

"Expecto Patronum!" I tried again.

Still, just smoke.

Lupin looked slightly puzzled, and opened his mouth to speak just as Professor Snape appeared at the door.

"Severus! I completely forgot.." Lupin said. "Unfortuntately, Sarah We'll have to continue this lesson another time."

I nodded an gathered my books.

"Alright. See you tomorrow Professor Lupin."

I walked to the door, returning to Snape the glare he casted upon me.

"Poe." he grunted.

"Snapey Wapey." I responded.

He glared even darker, a look that said "Say that again. I dare you."

But i merely smirked and walked into the corridor, scurrying towards the Study Hall.

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That afternoon was bright and sunny, making the golden and red leaves on the autumn trees glisten like the unforms that I and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team donned.

Oliver Wood strode out onto the feild. It was his last year as captain, and he launched into his yearly preamble about how teamwork, practice and positive influence can once again help us attain the coveted Quidditch Cup.

"..then and only then can we even hope to get our hands on the cup once again. Not to mention, putting forth..."

I smirked as I saw George mimicking Oliver out of the corner of my eye, waving his finger in an educated way and the look on his face stony in its life-and-death earnesty.

"...teamwork, not that I;m not confident in our abilities already, I think I've worked with you all long enough to safely say..."

Fred leaned over and whispered in my ear, "The way he's talking, you'd think he was ready for the big leagues."

"...And that my confidence in you is as strong as ever! Ok, everyone line up and take a few loops around the feild."

I mounted my new Nimbus 1700. It was used, but was a gift from my parents, who are both muggles and dont know much about broomsticks. The act in itself was very touching.

George laughed and bolted upward, kicking up with all his strength. Fred followed, both of them making a graceful figure 8 and clanking their beater clubs together as they met in the center.

I kicked up as hard as I could, and immediately felt the rush of the wind and satisfaction one gets from riding a broomstick.

I zoomed around the feild 2 times, but didnt want to stop. I looked over my shoulder. Fred and George were still goofing around, trying to knock eachother off their brooms.

Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell were passing the quaffle back and forth. Harry Potter was zooming around on his Nimbus 2000, and Oliver was still doing laps.

I flew over to the twins, doing a flip in midair, just to show off.

"Oh well arent we Miss Fancy Pants!" said George as he circled me before chasing after his twin, who was gathering around Wood along with the rest of the team. I joined them.

"Alright. We're gonna start off with something simple. Lets try the Evasive Maneuver number 4, with a Swizzle at the end by Katie and Sarah."

"Right." We replied in unison, before racing off in different directions.

Practice went until the Hufflepuffs kicked us off the field, roughly 3 hours after we'd begun.

"I dont know why we're clearing off for the Hufflepuffs." I murmered under my breath.

"I know. What are they gonna do? Tell on us?" Fred replied.

I grinned.

I'm not sure why everyone assosciates Hufflepuffs with pansies.

...Well, okay. Huffle. Puff.

Even the castle knows it. Thats why their common room is in the basement. And their ghost is the Fat Friar.

Everything about the Hufflepuffs, now that I think about it, makes you want to poke it and see if it squeaks.

Fred must've been thinking something along the same lines, because at that moment we both grinned, shook our heads, and muttered:

"Hufflepuffs."

We both smirked as I branched off to go into the girls locker room. He stood at the entrance of the boys a moment, as if watching me go in.

I gave him a questioning look, with one eyebrow. I'm good at that. Then gave a little finger wave and went into the locker.

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	3. Chapter 3

A few days became a few weeks, and eventually the silvery frost of the first snow was upon us.

Jill and I were in the Great Hall for breakfast, and everyone was muttering over the Daily Prophet. Sirius Black, the notorius mass- murderer, was close. Very close.

"I'm going to talk to Dumbledore about this." Jill muttered, flipping through the Daily Prophet. I smiled.

Jill is to Dumbledore as I am to Snape. Well. Except that Dumbleore is much older and more likeable.

She has in fact taken to the habit of sitting in his office whenever she pleases, whether he is in it or not.

Dumbledore has begun changing the password to his office everyday. Most staff believed it was because of the Sirius Black alerts, but I knew the real reason, which was sitting right in front of me munching on a blueberry muffin.

This is not a problem for Jillian. Shes too smart for her own good. (As a matter of fact, she has walked into the Gryffindor common room many a times, knowing the password...) Anyways, bottom line is that If Jill has any other friend as good as me, its Dumbledore.

"You think its that serious?" I asked.

"Sarah. If he can break out of Azkaban, guarded by Dementors, he can break into Hogwarts guarded by Dementors."

I nodded. Jill had a way of making things very clear.

It also reminded me that I was due for another Patronus session with Lupin.

"I wonder why Snape was visiting Lupin that day anyway." I wondered out loud.

"On the day you stayed after?"

"Yeah."

"Oh who knows, maybe theyre friends."

I looked at her.

"Snape cheating on me? Never."

"Oh well. It doesn't matter. He was probably just giving him greif for taking his coveted job." She brushed crumbs off of the immensley thick book she was reading. "So, hows Fred?"

I gave her another look. "Whats that supposed to mean? Hows Fred...puh."

She smiled and leaned closer. "You know what I mean. Do you think he?"

"What?"

"Fancies you?"

"HAHA. Thats a laugh. I'm just one of the boys. The third half." I sighed.

Jill sighed too at my incorrect speech.

"You're blind." she said.

"No." I huffed, slumping my head into my hands. "He's blind."

I looked down into my spoon. I'm not bad looking. Not at all, in fact. My hair is a nice shade of dirty blonde, and hangs in short, messy plaits around my heart shaped face, almost always with my gold headband in place. My eyes are big and blue, smeared with chocolatey mascara and eyeliner. Partially hidden by a whispy wind swept fringe.

"Psh." I said, slapping the spoon and making it fling upwards and onto Jill's book.

"Do you mind?" She said huffily, like a librarian talks to a disruptive student.

"Can you do a Patronus?" I asked her, out of the blue. Jill was also good at Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Yeah." she said sheepishly.

"Whats it take the form of?"

"Whats it matter?" she asked.

"Just curious."

There was a long pause.

She emitted a short sigh. "Its a fish."

I gawked. "A fish?"

"Yes!" she said, flushing slightly and avoiding my eyes.

"Ha Ha!" I said loudly. "What kind of fish?"

Her eyes flashed at me. "Oh I dont know! just a fish."

"Like a goldfish?" I asked.

"Yes, like a goldfish." she mocked my voice, which was cracking with laughter.

She looked pained, so I quickly stopped.

"You're my best friend." I said.

She looked up at me and smiled too. "I know."

"And you're fish can kick my cloud of smoke's arse." I said.

"Any day of the week!" she added, cheerfully.

I sat a moment in puzzled silence.

"Speaking of which, I think I'll see if Lupin's in his classroom a little early. Maybe we can try again."

"Okay. Talk to you in Charms." she said, without looking up from her book.

"See ya."

I grabbed my bag and walked out of the Hall. Avoiding Peeves on the 4th floor landing, I made it to Defense Against the Dark Arts to find it empty, to my dismay.

I sighed and dropped my bag on a desk close to the front.

"Can I help you, Poe?" asked a voice from behind me. I jumped slightly and whipped around.

"Oh, Snapey...You gave me a fright." I clapped my hand over my heart. "Wheres Professor Lupin?"

"He's absent today."

My eyes widened with joy. "Does that mean you're teaching the class? Does that mean I get to see you twice today?!"

Snapes eyes rolled to the heavens and his upper lip twitched upwards in a disgusted look.

I giggled with joy, shot my wand upwards in the air and streamers flew out of it. "This is the best day ever!"

Snape groaned and walked over to Lupin's desk. I sat on it.

"Do you go through teachers things when you sub in?" I asked innocently.

He didnt reply. He was pretending I wasn't there.

"Thats too bad, really, that Lupin's out sick and all. Maybe I'll leave him a desk flower."

Snape tensed up a little bit, but didnt say anything.

"We're learning about Hinkipunks today. Sounds dreadfully boring." I rattled on, casually flicking my wand which absentmindedly began braiding a small peice of Snape's greasy hair. "Do you fancy Hinkipunks? I don't. I want to Defend some real Dark Arts."

Snape looked up at me with a look of contempt. I hopped off the desk.

"Then you'll be pleasantly suprised today, Poe." He said slowly, as other students started to come in.

"Turn to page 394."

I picked up my bag, moved it to the seat directly in front of Lupin's desk and opened to page 394.

"Werewolves?" I questioned. But as I looked up, Snape was gone, shutting all the windows in the classroom with a flick of his wand and pulling down the projector screen.

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Stupid Snape. Snapey frickin Wapey had just assigned 2 parchments of Werewolf identification because we didnt know something that we haven't been taught yet.

Arse.

I trudged over to the table in the far corner of the library, to where Jill sat, partially obscured behind a pile of books.

"Snape?" she asked, noticing my Bitch Face.

"Mhm." I pulled out 2 sheets of parchment, and Wrote in large, curvaceous letters: Identifying Werewolves, by Sarah Poe.

"At least its not Hinkipunks." Jill said with an air of hopefulness.

"True." I said, opening my book to page 394.

"Oi! Sarah!" Fred and George came bustling over, plopping down in seats on either sides of me. The librarian glared.

"Whats got you so excited?" I asked.

"We tried out your Snappers." said George, grinning devilishly.

"Yeah? How was it?"

"Brilliant noise! Just needed one extra feature." Said Fred, reflecting his brother's grin.

My eyes grew bigger. This can't be good. I looked over at Jill with pleading eyes. She just shook her head with disgust and went back to her book.

"What did you do?"

"We just thought it wasn't very...colorful." said George.

"We added Snoffalgum powder." Said Fred, beaming.

Snoffalgum powder left a film of greasy-feeling orange gunk over anyone's skin who touched it. The color in question took days to wear off.

"How are we going to know if it works?"

"Oh we'll find out..." George looked at an invisible watch, "As soon as Snape opens his desk."

"YOU DID NOT!"

"Shhhhhhh! This is the library!" Hermione spoke for the librarian.

I shot out of the library, the twins close behind.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. This was why I hung out with the twins. Adrenaline.

We raced down the flights of stairs into the dungeons. We made it to the 3rd corridor when we heard the BOOM.

The initial shock of it caused me to stumble backwards into George. I clapped my hands over my ears, and he cowered over me, as if protecting me from the sound with his body.

Fred was shouting something into my ear.

"WHAT?" I shouted back, but the erruptions coming from Snape's classroom drowned it out.

"I SAID I THINK I L-" he stopped short, because suddenly we could all hear him.

Snape came barging out of his classroom, his face covered in orange.

"WEASLEYS! POE! MY OFFICE. NOW." He did really yell. He just talked in his normal voice, just amplified.

"But-"

"NOW."

The three of us shuffled in.

His classroom was empty, dark and slimy looking. Just like his office.

He put the remains of the shiny blue Snapper wrapper on his desk. The three of us bowed our heads.

"I'm sure you think this is terribley clever."

"No, Sir." I said, for the first time a sense of honesty in my voice. I knew Snape was hurt that I would plant that in his desk. Betray our friendship.

"It wasn't Sarah's idea at all, professor." Fred said.

"Yeah, she didnt know we were doing it." added George.

I looked up at Snape. His eyes were burning into mine. They softened at their words.

"Guilty by assosiation." he then said. "2 days detention."

"Woods gonna flip!" exclaimed George. They were already late for practice today.

"Starting now." Said Snape, motioning to the empty desks around his classroom.

Fred and George went to sit down at the same table, but Snape insisted they sit a tables length apart. They grumbled.

I sat in the table between them. grabbing up a peice of spare paper, i began to doodle on it with a pen. (Yes a pen. I'm a muggleborn. Its a thing muggles use to write. Its like a quill, minus the feather with built in ink.)

I drew little flowers with big, goofy grins. A baby deer with big eyes. And the centerpeice was a big rainbow, with a pale, black robed man with greasy black hair sliding down it, holding hands with a laughing girl with plaits.

I smiled. I knew he'd get a kick outta that.

I took out my wand and tapped it. The paper magically folded itself into an intricate origami butterfly.

I picked it up and blew it. It fluttered above Fred's head, tickled his nose, but fluttered away before he could grab it. It then made its way across the room to Snape's desk, where it landed gracefully. He ignored it.

Fred was attempting the same trick to my right, only his paper ended up looking a little less like a butterfly and more like a constipated stoole pidgeon.

After the first half hour, Fred was asleep on his table and George was amusing himself by trying to flick beetle eyes into his brother's hair.

I walked over to Snape's desk to avoid being a casualty.

"Hello Professor." I said.

He ignored me.

I leaned a little closer.

"Hey."

He glanced up at me, his face still laced with an orange film.

"You know I had nothing to do with that, right?"

I said it with all the sincerity I could muster. It wasnt a ploy to get out of detention.

And then.

The craziest thing in the world happened.

Snape smiled. Well, at least, one side of his mouth stretched upwards.

"Oh Snapey!" I flung my arms around his neck.

I could see,in my minds eye, the expression on his face.

Probably the face one would make if they whiffed some abnormally smelly poo.

ya know. Mudblood. Poo. Hug.

I grinned and waltzed back to my seat, proud of myself.

"Are you mad?" Whispered George. He smiled. "You shoulda seen the look on his face!"

I smiled back. Then turned back to the spare peices of parchment and began writing, from memory, all the things I had read that day about werewolves.

Finally after what seemed like years, the 2 hours were up and Snape suggested we get out of his Dungeon before he changed his mind.

The three of us scurried out the door, and took a deep breath in, as if we were holding our breath the entire time we were in there.

"Sorry about the detentions." Said George.

"Psh. It comes with the territory." I said, flinging my arms casually over each of their shoulders. Which wasn't an easy task, mind you. They had had a growth spurt since last year. George ruffled the top of my head. Actually, it was more like fuzzing than ruffling, because my hair was in the same old braids as every other day.

After sitting down for two hours, my cooped up energy had reached its peak.

"Lets RACE!" I said, pulling on Fred's sleeve. Without waiting for an immediate response, I turned on my heel and started flying up the stairs.

I heard one of them call me a cheater, and soon after the sound of two pairs of feet pounding up the stairs after me.

Of course, as soon as I hit the second landing, they had caught up, and laughed obnoxiously in my direction as they flew by me.

As soon as they were far enough ahead, I stopped running and slowed to a nice safe walk. They were soon out of sight up the next flight of stairs. I took my time up the next flight. thinking time.

Upon reaching the last step, I found the corridor to be empty. They must already be in the Common Room.

I approached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Flibbertygib-AHHHHH!"

Suddenly I was tackled by a blur of red hair and freckles.

"Thought you could get rid of us that easily, did yeh?" laughed Fred, tickling my sides.

I was laughing so hard I couldnt breathe.

"Please-HAHAHAHAHA-stop! Pleeeease HAHAHAHA"

"Say please Misters George and Fred. Masters of all that is Chaotic and Brash." demanded George.

I couldnt repeat it to save my life I was laughing so hard.

"I- cant- breathe-" I gasped.

"Oh alright, if you're gonna spoil the fun." Said George.

They both got up. I laid on the ground for a few seconds, breathing heavily.

Fred held out a hand to me, which I accepted with a groan.

I stood and brushed off my robes. I looked over at Fred. He was looking at the floor, his eyes dreamily glazed and half shut, thinking about something I couldn't hear.

He looked so.

Sweet.

"Password?" asked the Fat Lady impatiently scowling down at us.

"Flibbertygib-" George stopped short, as I just leaned over and kissed his brother. On the mouth.

His lips were stiff because it was unexpected. In a second, they softened, and I kept thinking of how warm they were. How innocent and soft. Like a worn in tee shirt.

It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like years. Wonderful, sunny, laughter filled years.

I pulled away, feeling the color rush to my face.

"I..." I couldnt think of what to say.

Fred was staring at me, a look of suprise and a very faint grin.

George was staring at me. His mouth was actually agape at what he had just seen.

The Fat Lady rushed to my rescue, swinging open without waiting for the second half of the password.

I slammed the portrait shut behind me.

I didn't want to know what either of them had to say.

Unfortunately the portrait didnt block out the

"What in BLOODY HELL was that?" from George.

My hands were sweaty and shaky.

Even though the sun had just set, I ran past everyone in the common room and into my dormitory.

Not bothering to change out of my clothes, I flung my robe over a chair and climbed into my bed, wrenching the curtains shut around me.

_Was it worth it? _I found myself asking.

_That moment of happiness? Was it worth risking 3 years of friendship?_

I hugged my pillow to my chest. I felt hot tears rising to the corners of my eyes.

But then I smiled.

_It wasn't a moment._

_it was years._


	4. Chapter 4

It was the following monday. I had made it 2 full days successfully avoiding Fred and George.

It was mostly because if they were avoiding me, i didnt want to know.

I made it to Defense Against the Dark Arts promptly, taking back ways and travelling with crowds of people who could succsessfully block me from the eyes of heartsore twins.

Ducking in the door, I shut it behind me and scurried over to my desk.

_Safe! _ an umpire-like voice sounded in my head.

"Miss Poe. You're early." Lupins kind voice startled me.

"Dont call me that." I said.

I stood in slight shock for a moment, realizing I had said the words rather harshly.

"Sorry. Reflex."

He nodded and gave a tired smile.

"How are you feeling?" I asked. He didnt look good. He was pale, and had scratches across his face.

"Fine, thank you. Just a bug going around." he said cheerfully.

"Can we give that Patronus thing another go? Before class?" I asked. The thought suddenly occured to me.

He sat in silence for a moment, thinking.

He then leaned backwards in his chair and said, "Let's see what you got."

I stood, fumbling in my robes for my wand.

Upon finding it, I pointed it upwards, and closed my eyes.

A happy memory. Ha. Those are pretty hard to find nowadays.

Then, It hit me.

I thought of Fred. The expressions on his face when he heard a loud noise. The way he smells like detergent and fireworks. The way his lips felt when...

"Expecto Patronum!"

I opened my eyes, and at first it was just another whisp of smoke. But then it started to curl itself and twist, and soon it took the shape of a coyote.

I laughed. It started as a small giggle, but carried on and on till tears were streaming down my face. The joy of it all.

"A Coyote? What am I, a cowboy?"

Lupin began to laugh too.

A coyote. Wow.

I sat down, my chest still shaking with giggles.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as class was over, I ran to the Great Hall.

And I mean RAN. I didn't even _try_ to avoid Fred and George.

Which was a mistake, because with 2 corridors to go I of course ran into the befreckled duo.

And I mean ran into. With a thud and a fluttering peice of parchment.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry!" I stammered.

Looking from Fred's face to George's I just beamed.

"I did it! I did it!" I said enthusiastically. "I made it!"

I threw my arms around Fred. "And you helped!" I gave him a huge, loud obnoxious kiss on the cheek, and then sped off, giggling like a madwoman as I came.

Finally, I managed to sidestep my way through a crowd of Slytherins before I came bursting into the Great Hall.

Pausing momentarily, I skimmed the crowd looking for Jill.

At a long last I found her, talking to Luna Lovegood.

I ran over and slammed all my belongings down across from her, completely disregarding that she and Lovegood were having a conversation.

"I made one! A Patronus! I real one! I did!"

"Really?! Thats amazing!"

"I made one! A real one! I did!" I repeated, flabberghasted.

"I believe you!"

"Its a coyote!"

"What are you, a cowboy?"

"No a coyote!"

She just laughed.

Luna looked at me like _I _was the one reading the Quibbler upside down.

"Actually, Luna I was just on my way to visit Dumbledore." Said Jill, very kindly. She turned to me. "Sarah, walk me?"

I nodded and jumped up. Everything was good.

We walked arm in arm out of the Great Hall and up 2 flights of stairs.

"What do you need to see Dumbledore about?" I asked.

"Just gossip."

I grinned and shook my head.

She looked up at the gargoyle statue and said clearly, "Licorice."

The gargoyle turned around, revealing spiraling stairs, which we then proceeded to climb.

At the top of the stairs was an ornate door. Jill pushed it open without even knocking.

I looked around. So this was Dumbledores office.

There was noone in it, but she waltzed right in anyway, taking a seat in the headmaster's chair. She motioned to a seat in front of it, in which i promptly sat.

The entire room was filled with nicknacks and strange silver instruments, whirring and puffing and tinkling.

"Are we going to get in trouble?"

"Of course not. I just wanted to get away from Luna before she tells the entire school we're learning Advanced protective magic."

"Oops."

"Oh dont worry, she probably thought you'd gone mad. So a coyote, you say? Thats certainly festive."

"Yeah! Well, I assume its a coyote. Its kind of like a wolf meets a fox."

"HAHA well sounds accurate."

"Yeah! Lupin laughed at me. Rude."

Jill smiled and leaned back in the chair. She then flung her hand into Dumbledore's bowl, helping herself to some sweets. He motioned for me to do the same.

"So Lupins back?"

"Yeah. He still looks sick as a dog, though. Scratches all over his face..."

Jill looked at me questioningly. "What kind of disease gives you scratches?"

I thought for a moment.

"Do you think he was in a fight?"

Jill's eyes widened. "Maybe he got in Black's way when he slashed the Fat Lady portrait monday!"

"Or maybe he had trouble sneaking Black _in_!"

Jill suddenly looked very worried, and stared at her watch.

It had been a regular muggle watch which she had modified shortly after seeing the clock in the Burrow. There was one hand labeled Dumbledore, which was currently at "Travel".

"Jill, this is crazy. Professor Lupin is as good as good gets. He's only absent once in a blue moon."

Jill looked at me. And I looked at her. Something clicked.

"Moon." I whispered.

"He was gone last month at this time too." She recalled. Hurriedly, she rummaged through Dumbledore's left side drawer, and pulled out a lunar chart.

Skimming the chart left to right with her index finger, she halted at yesterday's date.

"Full moon." she whispered.

"Jill...You dont think Lupins a..."

"Werewolf." Said Dumbledore calmly.

Jill and I jumped up about 300 feet.

"Professor!" Jill stammered, shutting his drawer with a bang.

"We didnt hear you come in!"

Dumbledore just smiled mysteriously and walked slowly over to Fawkes.

"But professor, isn't having a lyncanthropic teacher a bit of a...risk?" asked Jill.

"Professor Lupin is a trustworthy friend of mine. His condition has no affect on his personality for most of the days of the month." Dumbledore said calmly.

"Yeah! I'm not too fun to be around once a month either." I grinned.

There was an akward silence.

"So, theres no... Danger? No Mystery?" Jill eventually said, sounding rather miffed. "Or are you saving the adventure for Harry Potter?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "No, I'm sorry to dissappoint you. The castle has been searched up and down, there is no Sirius Black in Hogwarts, and no other danger."

I huffed. But then I remembered my patronus, and regained my pep for life.

"Oh bother. I have to go get ready for the Quidditch game!" I shreiked. I had completely forgotten!

With a nod to Dumbledore and a smile to Jill, I turned quickly and bolted out of his office.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The quidditch pitch was cold and frozen, but the sky was clear and blue.

The glare of the sun on the snow was blinding, I shaded my quidditch goggles.

We were up against Slytherin, which of course meant an unfair game.

We all stood at the entrance to te feild. Waiting for the rest of the crowd to arrive.

A hand on each of my shoulder startled me, causing me to drop my broom.

"Oi!" I whirled around to see Fred and George standing there.

"You can't avoid us forever." George said.

"And you can't pretend nothing ever happened." Fred added.

"I'm not mad at you. I never was." said George, smiling, "If thats what you're on about."

I looked at them both, grinning.

"I dont want to ruin the 3 of us. What we've got." I said.

"As long as you two arent snogging in detention, and as long as you dont decide to gang up on poor defensless George," George said, making a puppy dog face, "I can deal with the annoying happiness of my brother."

"I can't believe you two!" I said, and I felt the annoying tickle of tears brimming at my eyes. I hopped onto them, into a huge bear hug, to hide my moment of girlish emotions. "I've never loved anyone more than you two! I'm so lucky!"

I hopped back, and quickly spun around, wiping my eyes on my sleeve.

"Whats this?" asked George, grabbing my sleeve. "Tears?"

"What? Now now we can't have that."

"We'd better toughen her up, eh Freddie?"

"I think we had better, Georgie."

And with that, George reached down and seized me in a headlock, giving me another frickin nuggie.

As a double whammy, I also felt Fred tickling my sides.

"Stop! Stop please! HAHAHAHAH!" I wailed.

"Oi! You lot! The match is about to start." Oliver interrupted.

I wrenched myself from the Twin's vicegrip, and attempted, in vain, to pat down my fuzzed up head.

Fred bent over and picked up my broomstick, and handed it to me with a flourish.

"You're chariot, my lady."

I leaned forward to accept it, and I felt his warm kiss upon my cheek.

I flushed.

Adorable little bugger.


	5. Chapter 5 CHRISTMAS

Jill and I always stayed at Hogwarts over the christmas holiday.

We used this clever time to have sleepovers in eachother's dorms, sing loudly to the Weird Sisters in our pajamas, and the most treasured Holiday tradition: decorating the desks of our beloved Dumbledore and Snape.

I looked down at my bed, which was littered with scraps of wrapping paper and balls of uncooperative tape.

The fruits of my labor (8 beautifully wrapped presents) lay in the center of the rubbish, like a treasure trove.

I had gotten George and Fred these really neat breifcases, which were red dragonskin and had "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes" embellished on the front in gold.

In Georges I had put in a wide assortment of dung bombs and some candy. In Freds I had put a bewitched mirror that gives whoever looks into it unsightly facial hair, and some candy as well.

For Lee Jordan I got some random gag jokes and a couple of chocolate frogs.

Dumbeldore was getting an eyeglass case which cleaned and polished the eyeglasses for you.

Snape, ohh Snape was hard to buy for. I was tempted to buy some shampoo, but i didnt want to hurt his feelings. He's a sensitive bloke, under the hatred. So I wound up making him a scarf filled with every color yarn known to man, since he seemed so fond of the color black. I also got him a book on Love Potions. Just as a gag.

Luna was getting a pair of tomato earrings to match her turnip ones.

Lupin was getting a special present.

And Jill, oh boy. Jill had a pile. I was giving her a pin that flashed "Dumbledore or bust.", a book that was totally bare of all words unless you read it on a full moon (I knew that would bug the crap out of her), a few firecrackers that i knew she wouldnt use, a little stuffed animal that somewhat resembled a Pygmi Puff which I had named Scoburn, and a christmas card that shreiked botched versions of christmas carols at you when opened.

She would love it.

I loved Christmas.

Putting the entire pile into my emptied satchel, I ran down stairs.

The common room was lit up beautifully with lights and a roaring fire, besides the bright daylight.

Ron, Fred, George, and Harry were all clumped in different areas of the otherwise empty common room, admiring their loot.

I giggled at the twins, who were sporting itchy-looking mustard yellow sweaters, with and F or a G on it.

"Oh ha ha ha." Said George. "Dont laugh just yet, It looks like you've got one too!"

My eyes brightened.

I LOVE MRS. WEASLEY!

I put my satchel down and dove into the pile of discarded wrappings and a few solid packages.

I managed to pull out 4 with my name on it.

I giggled with glee.

George had given me a new package of exploding Snap cards. Fred had given me a quill that only wrote in cusswords, as well as a chocolate frog.

Mrs. Weasley had given me a sweater to match Fred and George, mine with a big S on it. Never before had something so ugly touched my heart.

I squealed with glee and tugged it over my head.

The last package was small, and had no card to say who it was from.

I tore open the wrappings to find a small figurine of a pixie, that glowed in different colors.

I smiled. Snapey Wapey.

I tucked it into my bag. While i was in there, I grabbed the two large square packages containing the twin's breifcases.

I ran over to where they were sitting on the couch, and pounced.

I landed on Fred's feet, to which he let out a yelp of suprise and/or pain.

"Oy! Thank you both!" I said, hugging their heads and clunking them togehter.

I put a present on each of their laps.

They sprung on them like dogs on a bone.

"WOW!" was the immediate reaction as they saw the shiny red breifcases and the glittering letters.

"Sarah! This is amazing..." George said.

"Open them up!" I giggled.

They did and smiled.

"Thanks Sarah! These are...incredible!" George said again.

"You outdid urself, mate." Fred said.

I got a group hug from them both.

As George sat down, I turned to Fred.

Blushing in spite of myself, I scootched a little closer.

"Ya know, you've got a part 2 to your gift." I muttered.

His eyes flashed devilishly.

I leaned over and pushed the breifcase gently away.

He put his arm around me, and I moved my face very close to his.

"Happy Christmas." I leaned in and gave him a kiss.

A real, long, uninterrupted kiss. He pulled me closer with the arm that was already around me.

I eventually pulled away, and leaned my cheek against his for a moment, before scootching down and resting my head on his chest.

"Did you like what I got you?" he whispered.

"Yeah! Brilliant!" I said.

"...Did you open the chocolate frog yet?"

"No..." I muttered, pulling it out of my pocket.

I gave him a questioning look, and opened the box.

There was a little gold bracelet inside, an I.D. bracelet. The name Sally was carved sloppily into it, like he had done it himself with his wand. (Which, I realize, he probably had.) There was a dark red stone on the side.

"Oh Fred!" I whispered.

I burrowed my arms around him, squeezing like i'd never let go.

I felt him kiss the top of my head, then lean his cheek upon it.

I was happy.

I love christmas time.

------------------------------------------------------------

Later on, we all headed to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Fred, George, and I sporting our heinous new sweaters.

The two of them sat next to Lee Jordan. I followed over, handed Lee Jordan his present, and said "Happy Christmas"

I rubbed Fred's shoulder gently then straightened and scurried over to the Ravenclaw table, where Jill sat with Luna.

"Happy Christmas!" They greeted me in unison.

I handed Luna her present, which looked rather scrawny next to Jill's mountain.

"Thanks!" Luna said, before going back to her pudding.

"Woah. Hereyou go!" Jill also slided me a mountain sized pile of goods.

"Hey I had the weirdest dream last night!" Jill said, before I could attack the present. "It was Hogwarts the Musical."

I burst out laughing. I had to cover my mouth with a napkin.

"Yeah! Tell me about it!" I wheezed.

"Well, I woke up and there was a dumbledore poster on the ceiling, and I started singing this song that went like.._Good morning Duuuumbledooooore!_ And I jumped out of bed while singing and ran to his office, casting spells at misbehaving students as I went."

She paused, as I was gasping for breath.

"Then as soon as I got to Dumbledore's office and spread the gossip, the scene changed and you were singing this ludicrous song to Snape! It went something like, _Someday you'll tell me I'm your favorite student! _And you were concocting all these potions and shoving them under his nose, hoping for a compliment. And THEN, as soon as you were pouring some veritaserum into his coffee, all the students in the school were in the corridors, singing this song about whose House is the best. I thought for a moment there was going to be a fight, but then the chorus changed to _At least I'm not a Hufflepuff._ And all the Hufflepuffs cried. And then Oliver Wood was teaching you to play Quidditch and singing all the rules to you."

Tears were streaming down my face and I was practically choking on the napkin.

"Thats amazing, Jill."

Taking a deep breath in, I helped myself to some toast and eggs.

--------------------------------------------------------------

After breakfast I waddled with my loaded satchel down to the dungeons.

Snape wouldn't be there. Like I said, it was a tradition, and he would always find some way to make himself busy while his favorite student decorated his desk.

I scuttled into the dank office. The dark wooden shelves were laden with jars full of gross looking things. The light on the ceiling had a greenish tinge which reflected off the stony walls.

I sighed. "I need a miracle!"

luckily. I have a wand.

I pulled out my wand, and with a flick, attatched a silver and green tinsel garland to the rim of Snape's desk.

With another flick, the green tinged light turned into a warm cream color, and bewitched snow began to fall from the ceiling that melted as it hit the floor.

With a satisfied nod, I placed the present on Snape's desk.

It was a perfect picture.

Casting one last glance into the office, I continued out the door and up into the warmer areas of the school.

Upon reaching the main hall, I looked into my satchel.

One present left.

Oh yes. Lupin.

Lupin was in the Great Hall talking to Professer McGonnagal.

I grinned.

Turning on my heel, I ran up a few flights of stairs to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room.

It was awefully scary in the dark.

I left the present in the doorway. I'm a sissy.

I grinned as I looked back at it, on my way to the common room.

I wish I could see his face when he opened it.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The next day at breakfast, I was sitting next to my beloved Fred and George when who other than Professor Lupin approached me.

"Miss Poe, may I see you in my office?" he glanced at the twins, "Immediately?"

"Sure thing professor." I said, giving Fred's hand a squeeze.

"Getting into trouble without us, Sally?" asked Fred with a grin.

I shook my head and followed Lupin out of the Great Hall.

"I presume you have had a recent chat with the headmaster?" he asked nochalantly as we entered his classroom.

"Yeah I guess I have. Why?"

"Would you care to explain this?" Lupin had walked over to his desk and pulled out a dog collar which he dangled in front of my face by his index finger.

"Heh." I said, scratching my head. "Happy Christmas."

He smirked.

"Well professor it all started when Snape assigned us that report on Werewolves." I pleaded.

He looked crestfallen.

"Professor I havent told anyone if thats what you think." I added.

"Sarah. If word of this gets out, I will be forced to resign." he looked pained as he said it. "This has been the only job I have been able to hold onto in a long time."

I nodded somberly.

"You have my word, Professor."

I held out my hand.

He shook it.

I attempted a weird little palm slide, knuckle tap type thing but the guy was simply too dated to get it.

I laughed at his attempts.

"It was only a joke, professor." I said, indicating the collar. I reached out to it with my wand and tapped it. It became a bag of chocolate frogs. "I'm not all that bad at transifguration." I said.

"So I see, Miss Poe."

"Dont call me that."

"Sarah. Sorry."

"What can I call you?"

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Well mean, I call Snape Snapey Wapey. But Lupin Wupin doesnt sound as great."

He smiled. "When I was a student at hogwarts, decades ago...My friends called me Moony."

"HAHA. I get it!" I said. "I hope you got them back for that one."

"Ha. Nah. Better than Prongs."

I gave him a quizzical look. Wolves dont have antlers.

"Well anyways, Sarah now that thats in order, you can go enjoy yourself."

"Erm...Thanks professor. Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas."


	6. Chapter 6

Everything seemed to float gently down and settle after the holidays, much like an undisturbed snowglobe.

Sirius Black became less talked about, the juice of the news had lost its flavor, and the student body had gone on to more trivial things.

One morning I sat with Fred and George. Jill wasn't anywhere to be seen, so I assumed she was either harassing Dumbledore or in the Library.

"Have you seen Jill?" asked Dean Thomas, as he walked by with his friend Seamus Finnegan.

"No!" I said in a rather suprised tone. It was obvious. And very suspicious.

He eyed me carefully. "You sure?"

I nodded, eyes wider that I anticipated.

He scowled and walked away.

I sighed and put my head in my hands.

"I'm afraid Jill's going to break up with Dean!" I moaned.

"Why?" Asked George. Actually, he wasn't really asking. It was more of a machine-like reflex to the question. He and his brother were deeply engrossed in a game of exploding snap and therefore too distracted to pay proper attention to the matter at hand.

"Its too horrible to say out loud." I said dramatically.

"HA!" said Fred as the cards emitted a loud bang. "I win!"

I stared into my toast.

Jill hadn't really told me she was leaving Dean.

However, lately whenever we talked, she would tell me that if Dean asked where she was, to say that I didn't know.

Which was curious for her. Very curious.

Especially when I really didn't know.

I played with the clasp of the bracelet around my wrist.

"Oi! Nice eyebrows." I teased to George, whose eyebrows were slightly singed from the bang.

He glared at me, then flicked a peice of egg at me.

"I'm only joking!" I giggled.

Fred scooched closer and put an arm around my shoulder. "So what did you say was bothering you, Sally?"

"Nothing really." I said forlornly.

Fred tugged on one of my braids playfully.

"Ya know I've never seen you without these." He said.

"Yes we have." Said George, crossing his arms and leaning into the table. "Last year when you got hit in the head with that Fanged Frisbee?"

"Oh!" I recalled. He was potentially correct. Last year they had been firing Fanged Frisbees every which way, and of course, I happened to get in the way.

"She still had braids last year." Fred said, a little upset for bringing up a memory that involved him being the cause of someone else's hospital stay.

"No, I mean, In the hospital wing. Madame Pomferey took them out." George continued. "Of course, you had your head all wrapped up too. Like a turban."

"I bet you keep little earphones in there." Fred chuckled, tugging on the braid again. "How you and Jill communicate through classes."

"So thats your secret." Said George.

"You know this conversation is rediculous?" I giggled.

"Yeah but we're bored." Said Fred.

I leaned against his shoulder.

"Yoo-hoo. Earth to Georgie." I said, poking him with my spoon.

He had been zoning out with his eyes staring at my forehead. It was akward.

"Sorry." He muttered, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to conceal the slight color rising to his cheeks.

"Oh this is nonsense. I'm going to go look for her." I gave Fred a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey." He said, pulling gently on my arm, as if wanting to tell me a secret.

"Meet me in the 7th floor corridor after Charms. I have a suprise for you."

I grinned.

SUPRISE! SUPRISE!?

I blushed and muttered an "Alright." Then scurried out of the Great Hall.

_FREDfredFREDfredFREDfredYES!_

That was the extent of my thinking as I floated up 3 flights of stairs to the Library.

I ran into Peeves on the second floor. He had just come out of an abandoned classoom.

Upon seeing me, he shouted to the door, "THERE SHE IS! THERES THE OTHER ONE!"

He began shreiking with laughter and pelting me with bits of chalk.

"Oi! Knock it off!"

"Heeheehee! Nasty little friend of the nasty little girl!" he giggled before whizzing off down the corridor.

I groaned and brushed off the chalk dust before continuing on.

However, I paused at the door that Peeves had been shouting at.

I slowly opened the door..

And my mouth fell open in shock.

Jill was in there, rather ungracefully snogging the brains out of Draco Malfoy.

Both of their robes were on the floor and Draco's tie was undone.

My mouth flopped up and down like a fish gaping for breath.

They both stared at me.

I stared back.

"S-sorry." I stammered before slamming the door and running- yes, running- to Potions class.

Oh good Lord!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I burst in the door. Snape looked up from his cauldron.

"Oh professor!" I sighed, slumping into my seat fretfully.

Immediately he sensed something was wrong. No chirping. No "Snapey Wapey".

He paused for a moment, with an almost frightened look on his face.

Like a child who doesn't know how to handle the situation.

"What is it?" He asked eventually.

I put my head down on the desk.

"Jill! And Dean! And Malfoy!" My voice groaned, muffled from the desk.

Snape Walked over and sort of just stood above me for a little bit.

He then patted my head quickly, as if afraid I would explode.

"In the empty classroom and I didnt knock and poor Dean and Jill didnt tell me!" I continued, miserably.

"Hey! Jill didnt tell me!" I sat up, miffed. "Shes supposed to tell me everything. But do you know who I bet she told? Dumbledore. I swear. Those two are like...I dont even know!"

Snape rolled his eyes, seeing that I wasn't suffering anymore, and slinked back to his desk.

"You're simplicity astounds me." He droned.

"Oh, Snapey. Its the curse of my whimsical gender."

Sometimes I make myself giggle, the way these things pop out of my mouth. Snape chuckled in unison.

His smile lit up his pallid face.

It made me smile, too.

---------------------------------------------------------

Jill wasn't at lunch.

Haha I almost wondered if she was avoiding me, or if she was back in that classroom with Malfoy.

I met up with Fred after 7th period, as promised.

The corridor was quite a bit out of the way, and deserted for the time being.

"Hey, your head looks bigger. Have you been dieting?" Fred Joked.

I had taken out my braids. They were fluffy and wavy and unmanageable.

"How sweet of you to notice!" I batted my eyes.

"So you're here for the suprise, I gather?" He asked, taking my hand and slowly walking me down the corridor.

"Well it certainly wasn't to see you." I teased.

We got to the end of the corridor, then turned and started walking back again. I gave him a questioning look.

"Have a little faith would yeh?" Fred grinned.

Suddenly, a door emerged out of the wall. It just materialized out of nowhere.

"Fred? Whats this?"

"The Room of Requirement."

He walked forward and opened the door. I walked inside.

It was dark in here. Very dark.

"Fred?" I asked softly.

In the dark, I felt his hand enclose around mine. He shut the door behind us, and we were left in utter darkness.

"Here." He said, pulling me towards what appeared to be the middle of the room.

I followed, a bit frightened by the dark. I looked upwards. There didn't appear to be a ceiling! Just a black sky, studded with very faint stars.

"I told you I had a suprise." Fred took something out of his pocket. "It's just a test run, but lets see how they go."

With a sudden jerk, he flung whatever it was up in the air. The small object took off like a rocket, soaring up into the almost pitch black sky, leaving a trail of silver behind it, like a comet.

The comet spun and swirled and soon came back down, right towards us.

I gasped and clung to Fred's arm.

"No, watch." he said softly.

As he spoke, the comet right above our heads and burst, showering us with little silver blossoms and blue lights.

I squealed with glee and clapped my hands.

"Oh Fred they're wonderful!"

"I've got a couple more." He threw 3 more into the air. Immediately the comets took off, in archs of blue, lavender and a brilliant gold.

They turned and twisted in the air, looping and spiraling like mischevious pixies.

Directly above their heads soon became an explosion of Forget-me-Nots and little fairy lights, followed by bright purple streamers and little smoke-like creatures with gossamer wings.

The gold one came last, the sweeping finale, bursting into a shimmering gold snakelike dragon, which soared upwards in a majestic dance, before crumbling into a fine golden dust.

"Amazing!" I gasped.

The room was now filled with magically floating fairy lights and misty winged things. I looked around.

The walls were mirrored, making it seem like we were inside a jar full of lightningbugs.

A wooden swing was suspended from the nonexistant ceiling right beside Fred. He took a seat in it and pulled me onto his lap.

"How did I end up with you, again?" I asked cheekily, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"You lost a bet."

"Oh yeah."

We kissed, and in my mind's eye I saw fireworks even more brilliant than any Weasley twin could charm up.

"I love you." I whispered, almost inaudibly.

He tensed.

I immediately sensed that I had passed the boundary.

"Whats the matter?" I asked, stung.

"Nothing. It just felt very warm and sticky in my chest for a moment is all."

He looked me straight in the eye, and without any trace of a joke, said "I love you too."


	7. Chapter 7

It was after midnight that night, and I was awoken from a very sound sleep by a very faint voice.

"Sarah! Wake up!"

I opened my eyes, puzzled.

Was I imagining it?

It was like hearing someone shout at you from between 4 doors.

"Sarah! Sarahhh!"

I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

The sound was coming from my left.

I looked around, my eyes used to the dark.

Aha!

I opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out the tin can.

"Hang on a minute..bloody..."

I disentangled myself from the sheets and hopped over to the window, doing my best not to wake the other girls.

I unlantched the window and hopped onto the ledge, pushing my feet through the railing.

I pulled the door shut tight behind me.

The early March wind was bitter.

_Should've brought a damn robe..._

"You there?" Jill's voice echoed from the can.

"Yeah I'm here."

"Good. I've missed talking to you."

"Me too."

"You know, you didn't have to run away like that. I was going to tell you eventually anyway."

"Haha well you didnt have to hide from me all today either."

There was a short silence.

"So, did you break up with Dean?"

"Yes! Honestly Sarah, I'm not a harlot."

"Oh. So are you an Draco official?"

"...Yes."

"Is he... _nice_ to you or something?"

"...Obviously."

"Of course, you're a pureblood."

She chuckled on the other end of the line.

Squinting in the dark I could make out a distant speck of glinting tin can fromt he Ravenclaw tower.

I shivered.

"Sorry. Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"Um, no? I'm awake now, thanks."

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

There was another short pause.

"Want to meet me in the common room?"

"Erm...Yeah, yeah, okay...The password's-"

"Wattlebird, I know."

I smiled.

"Alright then."

I opened the window behind me, which squeaked rather loudly. I stopped short, half out the window, my ears perked up listening for the slumbering sounds of my bunkmates to resume.

As soon as Lulu's murmuring gurgle joined Hermione's light whistling snore, I finished crawling out of the window and shut it tightly behind me.

Slipping my feet into unlaced shoes, I grabbed my Weasley sweater and slipped out of the dormitory.

Jill was sitting in the squashiest armchair, looking up at me with her fingers laced together, as if I was stepping into her office or something.

"Hey." she said softly.

"Hey." I sighed, flopping onto the adjacent sofa. "How'd you get here so fast?"

"I briskly walked."

"I see. Run into Filch?"

"Obviously not."

"So hows Dumbledore?"

"Just dandy. He's off to see the minister tomorrow. Gosh it must be exciting being such a brilliant man as Dumbledore."

"He's just leaving us here? With a serial killer on the loose? HELLO! EVERYTIME HE LEAVES SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS. Especially this time of year. Tis the season for Harry Potter to save us all."

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

"Honestly. Your sarcasm cuts me to the quick, wretched girl."

"If the truth must be my companion in the flames, then so be it!"

We giggled. Sometimes its fun to talk like an ass.

Hours later, I finally returned to my dormitory.

"Lets do this again! At my place next time."

"Okay. Night."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a grand total of 5 hours of sleep I was rudely awoken to battle another day.

The morning took forever to go by, as morning classes usually do.

Transfiguration. History of Magic. Divination.

It was my study period, and I was pacing in Lupin's empty classroom, babbling on my latest tangent thanks to Professor Trelawny.

"Honestly! That old bag goes on and on about Divination like she invented it. Its not even a real subject! Do you know how many muggles claim they can read the future? Alot. Its easy money because simpletons lap it up like dogs."

I paused for a breath, and put both my hands on Lupin's desk, staring him in the eyes.

"And do you know what sickens me the MOST about that class? The smell! Its like being stuck inside an antique perfume bottle thats been sitting in the sun, doused in lake water! I mean, if I'm not going to get an education in that class, some oxygen would be nice!!"

Lupin wasnt paying attention. He was staring down at a map, with little moving dots skittering about all over it.

"What's so important that you cant listen to my tyrade?"

"Hmmm? Oh!" He realized I was leaning over him, and quickly folded the map shut and put a book over it. "Nothing. Nothing, really."

"Professor." I gave him a look that said 'I am not a fool."

He sighed.

"This map." He pointed to the book. "Shows the entire school, as well as who is in it. Every hour of everyday."

My eyes widened.

_HE'S GOT GEORGE AND FRED'S MAP?!?!? _

"Erm...Thats interesting. Never seen anything like it. Ever." I tried to sound nonchalant.

"Well...I just...Really, Poe, don't you have a class?"

"Dont call me that. And no."

"Whats so wrong with the name Poe?"

"Are you JOKING? Does the phrase _Tellytubbies_ mean NOTHING to you? Its revolting. I sound like I was named by a toddler, or an old woman who was trying to name her dog."

Lupin chuckled.

"Its not funny, professor!" I crossed my arms and sat on the desk. "Okay, _Remus_, seriously whats got you all flustered about that map?"

His face darkened.

"Its just...I confiscated it from a student last night. Said they were following someone they believed to be dead."

My heart dropped. Fred? George? They know dead people?

"Who?" I asked innocently..

"Harry Potter."

SUPRISE!

I breathed out a sigh.

"So what? Its Harry. Probably making up a story to get some attention. Been a quiet year."

Lupin shook his head.

"Thats the thing. He wasnt." Lupin pointed to the map. In the Gryffindor common room, the name Peter Pettigrew floated aimlessly in the boy's dormitory.

"Peter Pettigrew? Whose he?"

"He was...An old friend. He was the first victim of Sirius Black."

"Apparently not." I said, in a voice one used when talking to a moron. I caught myself and emitted a sympathetic "heh."

"Sirius was a friend of mine." Lupin muttered softly.

Lupin looked at me, then pointed his wand at the door.

"Muffliato!"

"What is it, professor?"

"Dont scream."

I was suddenly terrified. I leaped off his desk and backed away, not taking my eyes off Lupin.

"P-professor?"

My eyes widened as from his office, strode none other than Sirius Black.

Sirius Black, the notorious mass-murderer.

"Professor!" I shreiked.

"Sarah, Sarah, calm down! Think about what I told you! Peter Pettigrew was never killed! Sirius is innocent!"

I looked at the man whose face i had seen in wanted posters everywhere. He was shrunked and pale, his hair stringy and limp against his head.

"Remus, are you sure she can be trusted?"

"Yeah Remus, are you sure I can be trusted?" I echoed, my voice shriller.

Lupin held his wand before him. "You tell me. Do you need memory modification, or can I trust you to keep this a secret?"

"But- Professor! Hes a wanted man! The dementors!"

"Precisely!" said Lupin. "Sirius cannot stay here! He will be discovered."

"Thats why we need you." Sirius grinned.

"What?"

"The Shreiking Shack. We need you to get Sirius into the Shreiking Shack."

"I cant be alone with him!" I pointed at the man in the corner.

As if provoked, Black strode shakily down the stairs and approached me.

I leaned backwards, feeling the hard desk press into my back.

"I'm innocent!" His eyes were pleading with me. Black, hopeless eyes.

I suddenly felt pity for the man.

"I'll only go if I can notify Dumbledore."

Lupin and Sirius exchanged glances.

"Dumbledore wont turn you in." I explained to them, "But at least then someone will know if I dont come back..." I shot a harsh glance at Black. "And I'm taking Jill."

"Thumbleword?"

There was a silence as they considered.

"Alright." Lupin said finally.

I hastily picked up my satchel and walked towards the door, like a dog waiting to be let out.

"Meet me outside the front doors. Midnight. Disillusion yourselves." Sirius ordered.

I nodded.

"I'll be a big black dog."

I grinned a little.

Wasn't this exciting?

Move over, Harry.


	8. Chapter 8

There I was. At midnight. Hovering around the enterance to the Ravenclaw tower.

Alone.

Because _someone_ was taking their precious time.

When one is alone in the dark, especially when you aren't supposed to be, your sense of hearing becomes extremely acurate.

Every creak of the old castle and every murmur of sleeping portraits made me tense.

Filch? McGonagall? A murderer? A werewolf?

THERES JUST NO TELLING WITH THESE MYSTERY NOISES!

Finally, after about another 13 years dragged by, Jill emerged from the door.

She looked around.

The Disillusionment charm I had casted had turned me into the equivalent of a human chameleon.

"Come ON!" I whispered, grabbing her forearm and pulling her down the corridor.

"Wait!" She disillusioned herself.

I didnt wait. I was briskly walking down the next flight of stairs, holding my wand out in front of me as though it held my life.

I heard the patter of Jill's footsteps as she caught up.

As we reached the entrance to the castle, my heart suddenly pounded very heavily in my chest.

A cold sweat broke out over my forehead and my breathing became uneven.

_There is a murderer out there! _

What was I _mad_?

Going out into the dark, wet night with an Azkaban Escapee, leaving the nice warm bed that I so desperately craved, for WHAT?

The Shreiking Shack.

The most haunted building in England.

My hand began to shake, causing the light at the end of my wand to flicker.

Jill and I stopped in front of the door.

"Muffliato." Jill whispered.

We opened the door silently, and, grabbing Jill's hand, snuck out into the inky night.

The waning moon was so bright that a silvery sheen was casted on everything on the castle grounds.

This is why Lupin wasn't doing this himself. Its too close to the fullmoon.

The two of us slowly descended the stairs. When we reached the bottom, it was no longer the two of us.

I jumped as a HUMONGOUS black dog licked my hand.

"ITS TRYING TO EAT ME!" I cried.

"Shhhhh!" Jill clapped a hand over my mouth. Luckily, the muffliato charm we had casted on the castles entrance was still affective.

"I'm watching you, Fido." I whispered threateningly as I could, in an attempt to conceal my fear and embarassment.

The dog simply gave me a puppy dog face and sat.

"To the Whomping Willow?" Jill suggested.

The three of us hastened past the greenhouses and the courtyard.

The moonlight seemed to bewitch the fog that was dancing on the lake.

I'm sure at any other moment in my life I wouldve found it beautiful.

Soon we were lacing the edge of the Forbidden Forest. I made the dog walk to the side closest to it.

And If I thought the noises inside the castle were bad, well they were childsplay next to the groaning, howling, shreiking noises coming from those trees.

I clutched Jill's hand tighter.

"We're almost there-"

Thank goodness. Our concealment charms were wearing off.

Jill was cut off as a living shadow emerged from the forest.

The shadow turned itself into a terrible sperpent-like beast.

We screamed and stumbled over eachother, running like mad in any direction that seemed safe.

Sirius attacked the serpent, which then turned into something slightly resembling a falcon.

The great bird swooped at the dog again and again.

Sirius was dodging most of the blows, and snapping at the great creature's legs.

"What in BLOODY HELL is that?"

"A Sceadugenga." Jill muttered.

I looked at her with bulging eyes.

"YOU CANT GO MAD! NOT NOW!"

"No!" she said, "Its a shapeshifter! Neither living or dead!"

Quickly, she took out her wand.

"Lumos Maxima!"

Her wand exuded a peircing light, hitting the bird.

With a cry, it shriveled into a whisp of nothing.

I didnt move for a few moments. I was in a small state of shock.

Still clutching Jill's robes, the great dog came over and licked my white knuckles.

"Thats IT! I am done! We are DONE!"

I wiped my slobbered hands on my robes.

Dumb dog.

The silohuette of the Whomping Willow rose before us.

Unlike all the other trees, it was swaying in the breezeless night. It almost looked as if it was breathing heavily.

"Sirius!" I turned to the dog.

His eyes flashed one word, doused in terror. _Bait_.

"No, no, just, follow Jill on my signal."

The tree had awoken, groaning angrily and heaving its branches upwards.

Taking this oppurtune moment, I dove towards its trunk.

Immediately, several branches swung at my face.

One caught me on the cheek.

Ignoring it, I managed to stumble to the base of the trunk and push the knot that immobilized it.

"Go!" I motioned them forward with one hand, keeping the other firmly on the knot.

The shadows of Jill and Sirius scuttled into the tunnel that led to the Shreiking Shack.

"Oh gosh." I sighed, taking one last look at the castle grounds.

I then turned and slipped into the hole right behind them.

------------------------------------------

Two nights with disturbed sleep made Professor Binn's class murder.

Therefore, my reasearch paper on the Goblin Rebellion which I was working on in my study, was graced with the presence of a large lake of drool.

Fred and George came up behind me and sat at my table.

I was disregarding my essay and absentmindeldy tickling my nose with my quill.

_Technincally, If I helped a wanted man, could I be put in Azkaban? Do they put underage wizards in Azkaban? Have mum and dad got a lawyer?_

Fred leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, distracting me.

"What was that for?"

"It's a Canadian sign of loathing."

I snickered.

George looked down at my half empty sheet of parchment.

"I'd ask if we were distracting you, but I can see that we're clearly not."

"I hate history. I hope I never become history. I hope everyone forgets about me and I wont be talked about by an old bag like Professor Binns."

Fred let out something like a "ha"

"Professor Binns wont talk about you. But I bet Professor Snape will."

"Yeah! You'll be a great old handed down story to all the little Snapelings. Like_ Little Red Riding Hood_... Little Loud Gryffindor."

I groaned at the two of them, but the thought _did_ disturb me.

Snapelings?

I dont want Snape to have children. He might like them more than me.

Nah.


	9. Chapter 9

Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Well, so have I. But then again, if you tag along with Fred and George you're absolutely asking for it.

This time, however, I was not asking for it.

I wasn't even thinking about it.

I wasn't even fully dressed.

It was a little after midnight. The school year was almost over, therefore 12 a.m. really wasn't that big of a deal anymore.

I was sitting on the window, Shooting the breeze with Jill.

A wonderful, warm breeze tickled my bare feet that dangled over the edge of the window.

For once, the chill of the Dementors was at bay.

Maybe they'd moved on!

Maybe they were off in search of Sirius Black, dog slobber extrordinaire.

I leaned my face on my arm an sighed.

Jill's voice was babbling on the other end of the tin can.

Something about Draco Malfoy, I believe.

THEY had gotten very serious lately.

I'm sure it would be cute if it weren't so apalling.

Well.

If Draco wasn't so apalling.

She sat with him in the Great Hall everyday. They would laugh and flirtatiously diss one another.

She even ruffled his hair once.

Maybe this would be a life-changing experience for Draco.

Ya know, turn over a new leaf. Stop saying the M-word.

"Hey! Is that professor Snape?" Jill suddenly asked in the middle of her Malfoy speech.

THAT grabbed my attention.

"Where?!?!"

"There! Due east!"

"Where?!?!?"

"I think he's headed towards the Whomping Willow!"

"SNUFFLES!"

"Where?!?"

"No, I mean what if he finds Snuffles?"

"Sarah!"

She didn't have to say anything else. I had already pulled my feet through the railing and begun pulling on my Converse sneakers.

-------------------------

As soon as I had made it out the portrait hole, I began jogging towards Dumbledore's office.

My wand was out, but I did not light my way or disguise myself. I think I was just holding it out of habit.

Jill was already at the entrance to his office as I got there, her hair in a very sorry looking ponytail, and dressed in a rather wrinkled Weird Sister's tee-shirt that peeked out from a ratty robe.

As soon as I reached her, she emitted a shrill "Peppermint toad!"

The spiraling staircase immediately began to rise, and we stepped onto it, catching a ride.

Dumbledore was waiting for us at the top of the staircase.

"PROFESSOR!" Jill shrieked, "SOMEONE'S HEADED TO THE SHREIKING SHACK!"

He merely nodded knowingly and sat down at his desk.

"No! Don't sit!" Jill commanded.

"Relax, Jillian, I'm quite sure everything will be fine. As you well know, Sirius is an animangus..."

Jill was fuming, and pacing around his office, waving her arms around and yelling about how nobody ever appreciates her intellegence.

"ITS NOT LIKE ANYONE EVER LISTENS TO ME! NOT LIKE ANYONE EVER TAKES MY ADVICE SERIOUSLY! NOT LIKE GRANGER! OOOOH IM JUST AS SMART AS HER AND TWICE AS CLEVER AND JUST BECAUSE MY FRIEND ISNT HARRY POTTER I GET THE SHAFT!"

The full moon was casting a glow upon the office, and the puffing object on Dumbledore's desk seemed to illuminate.

"Jill!" I suddenly cried.

"What is it?" she snapped.

"Where's Lupin?"

Dumbledore looked at Jill, who looked at me, then back to Dumbledore.

Simultaneously, the two of us turned on our heels and ran out of the office, towards the entrance.

---------------------------------

As is the Sarah way, halfway down Dumbledore's staircase I tripped over my shoelace, and thudded down the remaining steps.

"Sarah! Are you alright?!?!" Jill shrieked, thundering down after me.

I lay there for an extra moment, the grimace still on my face.

"eepehhhh." A strange noise fell out of my mouth.

There were a few key places that I knew were going to bruise that pulsated with every beat of my heart, which was of course every half a second. Other than that, I was fine.

I rolled over into a semi-aborted fetal position, and rubbed my forehead, where a lump was already beggining to form.

Jill took the sign of movement as verification that I was still alive and conscious.

She also took this oppurtunity to release a stifled giggle.

"Oh HA." I snapped, tying the offending shoe and following her down to the main hall.

Part of me knew this was a bad idea.

Thats a lie. MOST of me knew this was a TERRIBLE idea.

We had done the best we could for Sirius Black. If Snape turned him in now, then...

Wait a minute!

What if Black killed Snape in desperation?! He's already a wanted man! What has he got to lose?

Suddenly my mind was filled with a renewed panic.

Snape didn't know he was there! He could be attacked from behind!

I burst through the front door before Jill could cast muffliato.

"HURRY!" i shouted behind me, running as fast as my legs could carry me down the front steps.

There was no need for a wand to light the way, as the full moon had lit up the entire night.

This time around, I ignored all the nighttime sounds and noises, paying only attention to the thud of Jill's footsteps on the ground close behind me.

Soon enough, the Whomping Willow rose ahead of us, like a great thrashing giant.

I didnt have time to think. To plan. I just had to get in there to make sure Snape was alright.

The whomping Willow was only about 100 yards ahead of us now, and I was covered in a sweat, which had turned desperately cold.

Jill grabbed my arm.

"Wait!" she said.

I halted, and looked at her with a face of exasperation.

She pulled me behind a bush at the edge of the forest.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD-" She shoved a hand over my mouth.

"look!" she whispered, pointing at the Whomping Willow.

The Willow had stopped thrashing.

Someone had pushed the knot, immobilizing it.

I squinted in the dark at the base f the trunk.

Harry Potter of all people came waltzing out, ushering a limping Ron Weasley on one side while Hermione got the other.

I clenched my fist a little in the dark.

If Snape died, its his fault. I bet Snape saw Harry and followed him so he could administer a punishment.

I mean, thats Snape's "_thing_."

After the trio, came none other than Sirius Black. He wasn't even in his Snuffles form.

He had a man I had never seen before at wandpoint. The man had a feeble, squat look about him, and he shook almost in terror and neurotics like a coward.

"Who is that?" Jill asked.

"I haven't the foggiest." I whispered back. Whoever he was, he was clearly no friend to us.

The parade out of the trunk continued with as a pale man with greasy hair floated, unconcious, into the moonlight.

My heart stopped.

I clapped a hand over my mouth.

_Snape_!!

"He's just knocked out." Jill whispered feverently in my ear, to keep me breathing.

Lupin crawled out of the hole next. It was he who held Snape in midair.

I let out a small sigh of relief. Lupin would'nt kill anyone.

He wouldn't hurt anyone.

My heart's beat quickened as the full moon shone upon my teacher's face.

Jill gasped in the darkness.

The nerves in our stomaches had tensed into lead, replaced by a pounding liquid fear that pulsed trhough every vein in our bodies.

This fear hit Sirius at the same time, because he lowered his wand at the stranger, and lunged at Lupin, holding his arms to his side, and trying to talk to the man that was now beginning to writhe in pain.

His face began to distort in the moonlight. The kind, warm, eyes turned a lucrid yellow. His lips that so often held a shy smile were agape in pain, revealing long jagged teeth.

"Jill...We should go." I tried to whisper, but my mouth had gone empty and dry.

We could die out here.

Lupin let out a cry in agony, that began to sound vaguely like a howl.

He pushed Sirius out of the way and staggered backward.

His back hunched over and he seemed to shoot upwards in height, ripping his robes and trousers.

"Run!" Sirius shouted to Harry the less important two.

The stranger who Sirius had been holding snatched up Lupin's dropped wand. As he did so, Snape fell from his invisible suspension, awakening grogglily as he hit the ground.

"Stop him!" Hermione shreiked, but it was too late. The stranger put the wand to his forehead, and immediately started shrinking.

"His an animagus!" Jill whispered.

Snape groaned and rose from the ground.

"Get up to the castle, quick!"

A tremendous growl crashed through the trees. Lupin was no longer Lupin.

Hermione screamed as the monster began to step towards them.

Snape stood shakily, stretching his arms out in front of the kids as though it would protect them from the creature approaching.

In a blink of an eye, Sirius had changed into the dog, and was trying to take on the wolf three times his size.

I turned away as the massive beast fell upon the little dog.

I heard the yelps of pain, and the thud of it being cast away into the darkness.

"Is he?" I asked hesitantly.

"Dead? OhhI hope not." Jill's voice began to crack a little. I looked at her. Her fearful face had contorted into a grimace, shining with silent tears.

Harry had emitted a cry and chased after the animals body.

"Harry!" cried Hermione.

"Help me!" Snape said to Hermione. She began helping him carry Ron to safety.

"Oh god, Sarah." Jill's hand squeezed mine in the darkness.

The werewolf was loping towards where we stood, immobilized with fear.

I squeezed her hand back and turned, running into the Forbidden forest, pulling Jill behind me.

We came crashing through the dried leaves, knowing there was no way in hell we were'nt being followed at this point, I began to cry out loud in sobs.

I heard Jill scream behind me, but she was still running with me so I didn't stop.

It merely confirmed that the beast was close behind.

Suddenly, I saw us come upon a large crevasse.

We were going too fast to stop, and I slammed my sneakers int the ground as hard as I could.

Unfortunately, the momentum was too great, and Jill and I went toppling into the rocky pit.

I let out a cry as I landed on my wrist with a sickening crunch.

"Jill!" I cried, gritting my teeth in pain. The tears were spilling out of my eyes as my eyes searched relentlessly for my friend.

She had landed a few yards away. She was bleeding from her head, and she was unconcious.

"Jill! No!" I sobbed, running over to her. "Wake up! Please!"

Her chest still rose and fell with breath, which comforted me on some level.

A snarl came from the top of the chasm.

I looked up, in horror. Lupin was prowling around the top of the crevasse, eyeballing his weakened prey.

Oh my god. This is it. This is the end for me.

All these thoughts filled my head.

My funeral. The future I'l never experience. The wasted hours I'd spent studying for a career I'd never have.

The funny thing is though, when you think your about ot die, the strangest thoughts stick in your head.

I kept thinking _I haven't learned to apparate yet._

It seemed like such a big deal.

I havent learned to apparate. I'll never get to do it.

Thats like, a muggle never getting their drivers license.

Oh god this is rediculous.

"HELP! HELP!" I cried In vain. "PLEASE! SOMEBODY!"

I knew noone could hear me.

I looked down at Jill. I couldn't haul her up the crevasse, even if I could move my wrist.

Another snarl sounded from above as Lupin readied himself for an attack.

I took out my wand.

If I could just get Jill out of here, I'd fight him on my own as best I could.

With a tremendous snap of his jaws, the werewolf that was once my teacher leapt down into the crevasse.

It was about to land on Jill's motionless body.

"STUPEFY!"

I hit the werewolf square in the chest, and it was flung back into the wall of rock.

It shook it off quickly, being such a sturdy beast.

I aimed at Jill.

"WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!"

The charm was effective but very slow. I barely got her to the edge of the pit when Lupin hit me at full force.

I screamed in terror. I couldn't let him bite me. I couldn't become one of them.

I had landed on my back, my wand rocketing out of my hand.

Before I could even recover, the great beast pinned me down, holding one massive paw on my shoulder and the other on my shattered wrist.

I screamed in agony.

I'm going to die..I'm going to die.

"STUPEFY!" Jill screamed from the top of the crevasse.

Immediately Lupin rocketed off me. I grabbed my wand and ran to the opposite end of the pit.

"Sarah, can you climb up?"

"No!" I cried through clenched teeth, clutching my throbbing wrist.

Lupin was closing in on me again.

My heart was about to give out from racing.

"REDUCTO!" I shouted.

The spell shot him against, the wall so hard that peices of rock fell down.

The werewolf didnt move.

"Is it dead?" Jill panicked.

I walked a little closer. Its chest was still moving.

"No! Please get me out!" I was shaky and close to a mental breakdown.

I have no idea how Harry Potter can do this every year so gracefully. This is the stuff that puts people in the happy hotel.

"How did you get me out?" Jill asked.

"Wingardium Leviosa." I cried.

"Alright hang on." Jill swished and flicked as delicately as Flitwick. "Windgardium Leviosa!"

I felt as though every ounce of weight had gone from me. I floated upward and slowly onto the ledge, where I collapsed on the ground in shock.

"Are you alright?" Jill asked, leaning down. "Let me see your arm."

I could barely extend it. It looked swollen.

"Hows your head?" I asked.

"Fine! Just a little tender."

"What do we do about him?" I asked, indicating the professor.

"We have to make sure he wont get out." Jill said firmly.

I whimpered.

"So we're staying here?" I asked, slumping up against a tree.

She didn't say anything, but sat down next to me and leaned her head on my shoulder.

I could feel her trembling. Out of fear or shock maybe. Or both.

We were alive.

The thought elevated me.

But even more exciting was that I'd live to apparate!

------------------------------------------

The sun's first light woke me out of a light sleep.

I opened my eyes. The morning light still didnt illuminate the Forbidden Forest, which was still strewn with shadow.

Jill was curled up in a ball on the forest floor. Her hair was a mess of leaves and matted down with dark dried blood.

I stood feebly. The pain in my wrist was numbing almost to the point of nausea.

A groan came from the bottom of the crevasse.

I grabbed my wand and peeked over the edge of the cliff.

Lupin was sitting up, rubbing his head.

"Bloody Hell, professor." I grumbled,trying to wipe off the mascara that had leaked down my face. "Put on some clothes."

"Sally?"

I politely looked away and mumbled. "Yeah..."

"What happened?"

"Long story. You didn't kill us. However, If someone doesn't mend my wrist shortly, I'm gonna do my nut."

Giving Lupin some privacy, I woke up Jill with a prod of my sneaker.

She groaned and sat up. Immediately she winced and a hand shot up to her head.

"Headache?" I asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe."

I bent down and picked up Jill's robe that we had been using as a blanket, and threw it n the crevasse.

"We'll wash it." I explained to her. "Tell us when your decent." I called to Lupin.

I stared at Jill, in her flying piggie pajamas and that old tee shirt. Her hogwarts mary janes caked in mud. Her hair damp and thick with leaves and blood.

I owe her so much. I'm so glad shes my best friend.

"Ascendio!" Lupin's voice echoed from the pit as he shot out of it, landing in a pile at out feet, wearing Jillian's robe.

"Honestly, professor, we better be getting A's on your final exam." Jill grumped.

Lupin smiled in an embarassed way.

"Are you blushing because you tried to kill us or because we saw you naked?"

He ignored that last statement, and motioned for us to lead the way out of the forest.

After all, it was a rather revealing robe.

-------------------------------------

I woke up at 3 from a well needed nap in the hospital wing.

I saw a mess of red hair and a faceful of freckles, prodding absentmindedly at the temporary cast on my arm with his wand.

"Fred?" I asked groggily.

"Heyy look who finally decided to wake up?" Fred leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

The warm sun that fell through the window seemed to blur my eyes.

Even though I couldn't see him properly, it was comforting to know he was there.

"My arm feels big. Does it look big?" I grumbled.

"No, it's arm-sized."

I smiled a little at his goofy grin.

"Don't you have class?"

"Pish. Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"

"Hows everyone else?"

"Jill's already making a statement to Dumbledore." he smirked, "And Ronniekns is over there."

He jerked his head across the hospital wing where Ron was snoring heavily in his sleep.

"Haha Ronnikins.." I giggled idiotically.

Fred gently ran his fingers down the side of my face.

"We were worried about you, ya know. George and I."

"Where _is_ George?"

"I expect he is setting off dungbombs in Flitwick's class so I can be here."

"I'm glad youre here."

I tried my best to envelope him in my arms without giving him a concussion with my cast. He buried his head into my disgusting hair and squeezed me back.

"I'll always take care of you. You know that."

I kissed his freckled cheek, then pulled away, leaning back on my pillows.

"I know."

Because that's how it is, how being friends is. No matter what happened to us, no matter how we end up as we mature, how our feelings might change; It's still us. The three of us. The Triumvirate of Trouble. The three musketeers.

It wasn't just Sarah and the twins.

Well, okay it _was_; it always will be just _that_.

But it seemed now that it was just one thing. Not one set of twins and me. One set of three.

A triple threat. A package deal.

The most _indecent_ Gryffindors the house has ever seen.

------------------

The End

A/N: I hope you all like it enough for me to post my sequel. Well, I havent decided whether or not it will be an actual story or just drabblings.

In any case, the life of Sarah Poe isn't over yet.

Keep an eye out for the sequel, i'm not sure what its entitled yet.


	10. announcement

The Sequel to Memoirs of an Indecent Gryffindor,

The Triumvirate of Trouble

is officially released!

Go read and review.

yay!


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